The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department arrested a doctor in West Sumatra on Friday afternoon for allegedly spreading hate speech on her Facebook account.

According to the police, the doctor, Siti Sundari Daranila, 51, said that, under the name Gusti Sikumbang, she created a special account not connected to her personal account to upload specific content.

Cybercrime division head Brig. Gen. Fadil Imran said the police suspected that Siti spread hate speech in numerous posts related to blasphemy and racial discrimination. She reportedly posted a photo of newly inaugurated Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Hadi Tjahjanto with his family, including his two step-children who are also Air Force personnel.

“Alongside the photo, the suspect wrote in the caption, ‘We native people must stand together. Hadi Tjahjanto with his wife, daughter and son. His children and step-children are all Air Force personnel’,” he said in a written statement, mentioning that the police were currently investigating the account to determine whether she had connections with other hate-speech accounts on the social media platform.

He added that the police had confiscated two smartphones as evidence. Siti faces up to six years' imprisonment if charged under the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law.

“We hope that people use social media wisely,” he said. (vla/dmr)

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by The Jakarta Post

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